Today In Oslo

1. I met the guy who designed the Opera House!

And I'm still shaking, pinching myself, he was more of a rock star than any I've met in many a year, because not only was he charismatic and looked the part, he could engage in a deep discussion of art.

It's all about money in the United States. Everybody's trying to climb the greased ladder and the only thing that matters is your bank account. The days of David Byrne, et al, going to RISD and challenging our preconceptions are long gone. That's what art does, challenge our beliefs, make us look at the world differently and inspire us. And we haven't had that spirit here...well, since maybe 1969.

Where's my record on the chart? How many did I sell? Doesn't matter what it says or what it means or whether it tests limits, unless, of course, you're one of the countless wannabes who believes they're entitled to attention, they can rap philosophically all day long, you just don't want to listen to their music.

So this guy is designing for TWO HUNDRED YEARS! That's how long Kjetil Thorsen believes the Opera House will last. And he finds it inhibiting. Especially the library they built in Alexandria, he doesn't want it to eclipse the memory of the original.

And Thorsen is inspired by music, not on headphones, but live. He goes to concerts regularly to be inspired.

He stood there giving me the inspiration for the Opera House as we stared at the model and my jaw dropped. This is the way people used to talk about music!

Maybe you've never been to Oslo, but Thorsen and his firm Snohetta are redesigning Times Square, they're in charge of the only building that actually sits on the World Trade Center site.

AND I MET HIM!

How did this happen?

Well, it turns out the Managing Director of Universal knows him. But the hookup came from the guy in Turbonegro, who cold e-mailed him.

I'm just not that big a guy! But he wanted to meet me.

I'm absolutely FLOORED!

There are 100 people in the office in Oslo. 50 in the office in NYC. They're only entitled to work 8 hours a day, they must leave thereafter, to gain inspiration.

They've got a robot and a laser cutter and 3-D printers to make models. They have a meeting every Monday where they not only go over projects, but personal business.

And they're building a house based on a painting.

And they're having so much fun, that it was purely inspiring.

You know, the way it used to be walking into a record company, HA!

Snohetta projects: http://snohetta.com/projects

World Trade Center Pavilion: http://bit.ly/1st2gxY

The story in the "New Yorker": http://bit.ly/1lGgJmb

"USA Today", "10 best opera houses around the world": http://usat.ly/1jVD4w9

2. Streaming is king in Norway, as are singles.

I went to lunch with the local Universal brass. Physical is only 10% of the market. Unless you're making a concept album, which we all know is oh-so-rare, you get a singles deal. Could be for one or two, could be for twenty, maybe if you have enough they assemble them into an album, but generally speaking the idea of going into the studio to cut a long player is dead.

As for Spotify, 30% of the public pays. And some also go for local streaming service WIMP, which will allow you to stream lossless (take that Neil Young/Pono!)

The only problem with streaming is it's reduced the popularity of local repertoire, it used to be 30% of the market, now it's only 10%.

Used to be oldsters bought physical product, hyped on TV.

Now youngsters stream ad infinitum and the whole world is at their fingertips.

Radio reacts to Spotify streams.

It's not uncommon for a local act to have 5 million Spotify streams of a popular single. They can live on the income, and the government helps with production, which is mostly done at home on computer.

This is the new model.

Unfortunately, the radio dominated United States market, populated with crybabies who don't understand the new economics, are keeping the U.S. behind the Nordic countries.

3. I went to Holmenkollen!

Actually, I thought it was in Sweden. I guess the old "Wide World of Sports" footage didn't keep repeating the location. That's where I heard about the world's preeminent ski jumping/cross-country competition.

At first it was terribly foggy. Then we went to the top of the jump and the sun started to squeak through. It's so steep!

And they keep on rebuilding it and there's no standard!

The initial jump a century ago had a hill record of 21.5 meters. Now the hill record is 141 meters.

You can see the jump from all over Oslo, go to the site, look at the pictures!

http://www.holmenkollen.com/eng/About-Holmenkollen

4. I ate reindeer!

And it was good!

They told me to try a sandwich, but they all came with eggs, and I'm not a fan. Sandwiches here only have one slice of bread, maybe that's why everybody is so skinny!

The reindeer was served in a creamy sauce, they said it would be gamey but I found it close to beef stroganoff, just a little chewier, and I liked that!

5. I've got a black eye.

You see I was walking into my hotel room, and I was hit by a hanger!

Well, to tell you the truth, I bumped into it, but it was huge.

Good idea to put the hangers right by the door.

Next time I'll look out!

Hopefully.


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